Colombia: From the mirage of development to the political and social crises

We discuss, from a historical standpoint, the paradox of having a sustained growth and improvements in social indicators in the midst of a surge in violence and corruption, taking as reference the Development Plans and the economic policies of the last 30 years. In the dynamics of the recent economic growth, several institutional factors are worth considering: the lack of a sense of belonging among citizens, the development of political clientelism, the greed for rents, and the growing inability of the State to perform some of its more basic tasks, such as providing personal security, enforce contracts, and oversee property rights. Thus the costs of doing business in Colombia have risen, leading to the allocation of significant resources to the private protection of property and the promotion of a high level of criminality and violence, with a significant negative effect on economic growth.